Chapter 8 - The Wedding
Ying Lili saw Sheng Li going away. She took a breath of relief when the maidservants came inside. Su Binxi and the other maidservants helped Ying Lili in taking a bath and then she was being taken to the chamber where the attendants helped her in getting ready.
She was wearing a Red Hanfu wedding dress which symbolizes Happiness, Prosperity, and a good lock, with golden embroidery on it. She looked at herself in the mirror when she heard Su Binxi, "My lady, please depart your lips a little." An-Ying Lili did so when the other maidservant put a red-colored paper in between her lips. The red color was imparted on her lips.
After that the gold jewelry was put around her neck, followed by some golden bangles in the hand, a golden-diamond ring, and anklets on the feet. "My lady is looking so pretty today," Su Binxi gave a compliment to Ying Lili. Court Lady Ying came forward with the Golden Phoenix crown in her hands. Su Binxi put it over the head of Ying Lili.
The hairdresser did the hair of Ying Lili carefully and put three hairpins in the hair bun. The perfume was dispersed over Ying Lili's dress and a little on her hands and neck. The scent fragranced the air in the dressing room.
Su Binxi covered Ying Lili's face from a red veil. "My lady, please get up," Su Binxi proclaimed. Ying Lili stood up and turned around. They then left for the wedding altar. As Ying Lili entered the wedding altar, the whispers died out. Ying Lili gracefully was walking towards Sheng Li. As she reached near him, they both looked at each other though Sheng Li could not see Ying Lili's face.
They both looked at the front when the chief priest handed them two golden cups which had wine in them. "Please drink it, your highnesses. Give your first homage to heaven and earth; second to the great ancestors of Han, and third to the Kitchen God," the chief priest announced.
Sheng Li and Ying Lili raised both hands, holding the cups, and kowtowed for the Heaven-earth first, followed by the ancestors and the kitchen God. Once they were done, the two attendants took the cups from them and then filled them again with honey-wine mixture. "This drink is for each other that you two will respect in every decision and be together," both Sheng Li and Ying Lili heard the chief priest. Sheng Li was glaring at Ying Lili. "I will make your life hell," Sheng Li told himself and drank the wine from the cup.
"I will make sure to kill you, Sheng Li, and avenge my father's death," Ying Lili pledged as she drank the wine.
"From today onwards, they both are husband and wife. The Han Kingdom has gotten its Imperial Crown Princess," the chief priest announced. Both Sheng Li and Ying Lili kowtowed before the Emperor and the Empress who gave them their blessings.
"Court Lady Xu, please take the crown princess to the bridal chamber," Weng Wei ordered Xu Wan who gave a nod and told Ying Lili to follow her. As she was walking, Weng Yu came in front of her. "Congratulations on getting married, your Imperial Highness," Weng Yu told Ying Lili.
"Yu, come here. Do not block the way of the crown princess," Lei Wanxi proclaimed as he pulled Weng Yu towards him. "Forgive my little brother for his rude behavior," Lei Wanxi apologized to the crown princess.
"I want to see the face of the crown princess," Ying Lili heard him. The regal family members started laughing hearing this. The third noble consort of Han Wenji scolded Weng Yu. "Mother, everyone is saying the crown princess is beautiful," Weng Yu said in a low voice and lowered his eyes.
"Yu, act your age," the crown prince's bitter voice was enough to stop the youngest prince who apologized to Ying Lili who walked away from there.
"Congratulations, the imperial crown prince on getting married," Jian Guozhi gave wishes to Sheng Li who did not reply to him.
"The wedding banquet is ready. We shall go there and then the crown prince has to complete other wedding rituals," said Weng Wei with a smile. Han Wenji shook his head in agreement. They all left for the wedding banquet hall. Lei Wanxi was teasing Sheng Li along with the other brothers when Sheng Li told him to shut up and walked away from there.
"Wanxi, I think I am going to win the bet. The fifth brother will not fall for the crown princess," asserted Rong Zemin with a smile.
"Dear third brother, the crown princess is fierce like our fifth brother. It is just the beginning of their love story," stated Lei Wanxi. Jian Guozhi snickered upon hearing Lei Wanxi's statement.
"One who has never shown mercy on anyone can never fall in love. Keep that in mind, Wanxi," Jian Guozhi proclaimed.
"The first brother, that is a very undermining statement according to me. Warmth changes a person and our brother needs that warmth," Lei Wanxi replied to Jian Guozhi who passed a tiny smile to him. "I hope the crown prince will get that warmth from the crown princess, " wished Jian Guozhi and grinned.
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Sheng Li had a porcelain jar in his hand and was standing on the bridge made over the water canal in the eastern palace. Han Wenji came there and stood beside his son. "Why did you not attend the royal wedding banquet?" Han Wenji asked Sheng Li.
"Imperial father knows the answer," Sheng Li proclaimed and found the wine jar was emptied by him.
"The crown prince shall trust his father," Han Wenji pronounced.
"I am trusting you that's why she is still alive," Sheng Li asserted.
"You shall not speak this way," Han Wenji stated.
"Apologies, Imperial father but I am feeling dejected. You knew my relationship with Xue Yu Yan, but you chose this for me. I like nothing about the crown princess still, for your promise I married her. I will make Xue my Princess Consort soon and please do not stop me from doing that," Sheng Li pronounced and left from there.
"I do not trust the intentions of the Prime Minister, nor do I trust his daughter. Because he has the support of many ministers, I cannot remove him from such a high aristocratic post," Han Wenji thought in his mind.